If you lived in Sweden instead of Kazakhstan, you would:

Health

live 9.5 years longer

In Kazakhstan, the average life expectancy is 75 years (70 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In Sweden, that number is 84 years (83 years for men, 86 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 17.0% less likely to be obese

In Kazakhstan, 21.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Sweden, that number is 17.5% of people as of 2024.

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see 5.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Kazakhstan spends $1,460 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Sweden spends $7,770 as of 2024.

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have 17.4% more doctors per person

Kazakhstan has 37.5 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Sweden has 44.1 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 4.3 times more money

Kazakhstan has a GDP per capita of $14,692 as of 2025, while in Sweden, the GDP per capita is $63,133 as of 2025.

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be 82.2% more likely to be unemployed

In Kazakhstan, 4.8% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Sweden, that number is 8.7% as of 2025.

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be 3.2 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Kazakhstan, 5.0% live below the poverty line as of 2024. In Sweden, however, that number is 16.1% as of 2022.

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Life

be 60.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Kazakhstan, approximately 10.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Sweden, 4.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 73.0% less likely to die during infancy

In Kazakhstan, approximately 7.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Sweden, on the other hand, 2.0 children do as of 2024.

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have 52.4% fewer children

In Kazakhstan, there are approximately 19.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Sweden, there are 9.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 50.6% more on education

Kazakhstan spends 4.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Sweden spends 7.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 3.0 times more on healthcare

Kazakhstan spends 3.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Sweden, that number is 11.2% of GDP as of 2024.

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Safety

be 54.9% less likely to be murdered

Kazakhstan has a homicide rate of 2.5 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Sweden, that number is 1.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 82.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Kazakhstan, road accidents kill 12.2 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Sweden, they kill 2.1 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 2.7 times more home broadband

Kazakhstan has 15.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Sweden has 40.6 as of 2024.

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live with 89.7% less strain on fresh water

Kazakhstan withdraws 35% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Sweden withdraws 4% as of 2022.

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use 2.4 times more electricity

Kazakhstan uses 5,146 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Sweden uses 12,226 kWh as of 2024.

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Environment

be 88.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Kazakhstan, air pollution causes 68.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Sweden, it causes 8.0 as of 2019.

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emit 71.6% less CO2

Kazakhstan emits 12.6 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Sweden emits 3.6 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Sweden: At a glance

Sweden is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 410,335 sq km. A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both world wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum.
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